Llama!
by Chasyn
Summary: Echo just wanted a piñata. Contains an established relationship between Owen/Zach, parental Owen and Zach, language (I think?), annoying and butting in Claire, and just silliness. Written and plotted in less than 24 hours to celebrate Mama Llama's birthday! Happy birthday!


**Summary**: Echo just wanted a piñata. Contains an established relationship between Owen/Zach, parental Owen and Zach, language (I think?), annoying and butting in Claire, and just silliness. Written and plotted in less than 24 hours to celebrate Mama Llama's birthday! Happy birthday!

**Llama?!**

"Your daughter wants a piñata."

It was early. It was their day off. They seldom got them together. _She_ always tried to interfere, tried to make sure they didn't get too much time together, tried to make sure they knew she didn't approve. They both knew she didn't. But she also didn't fire either one of them, or kick them off the island. They weren't sure she exactly could succeed, but she could try. And she never did. So yeah, they'd just gotten used to it. She butted into their work schedules as much as she could, making sure they seldom got days off together.

That was just life!

Which was why Zach Mitchell was highly annoyed to hear his mate's voice forming such odd words at the ungodly hour. He considered ignoring the words. He could just keep his eyes closed, pretend he didn't hear, and beg the universe to let him go back to sleep. But curiosity got the better of him and instead, he opened his eyes and lifted his head off his mate's chest. Owen was smiling down at him, with his big goofy grin. Zach just stared at him for a moment. "My daughter." He repeated, before asking about the other factor.

Owen nodded. "When she asks for crazy things, she's yours."

Zach rolled his eyes and rested his chin against Owen's chest. "She didn't ask me. I can't even understand her."

Owen laughed. "Bullshit. You understand her just fine."

Zach looked away for a moment. "If she asked me, I might have understood she wanted something. But a piñata would not have crossed my mind in a million years." He looked back at Owen. "Where'd she even see one?"

Owen tilted his head and attempted to shrug. The motion was odd, since they were still tucked in bed and neither had any intention of actually moving. "No clue." He answered. "Probably some movie she watched when we weren't around."

Zach sighed and snuggled against Owen's side more. He closed his eyes and willed for sleep again. "Told you you'd regret putting that giant TV in there permanently. Who knows what she's watching at night." Owen smiled but didn't answer. And they lapsed into silence again for a few minutes. Zach was half asleep when a thought occurred to him. He was too tired to stop his mouth from forming the words. "What would we even put in it?"

"Hmm?" Owen hummed.

"The piñata." Zach repeated, waking up again for a moment. "If we got Echo a piñata, what would we put in it?" He didn't ask which daughter his mate meant, either. Because Zach knew it was Echo. He always knew.

"No clue." Owen answered.

Zach lifted his head again and peered at Owen. "So she just randomly asked you for a piñata."

Owen stifled a yawn as he nodded. "Says Gray needs one, for his party."

"Gray's party?" Zach repeated. "Since when is Gray having a party?"

"Echo says Gray needs a party." Owen said.

"It's not his birthday."

Owen tilted his head. "But he hasn't been here in almost a year."

It wasn't even close to almost a year, he was sure. Zach tried to think. He and Owen had gone to visit Gray back around Christmas, because his younger brother had been too busy with college to come to the island. Huh. So his last visit had probably been last summer, before starting his final year. So yeah, maybe it was close to a year. "Did you explain to Echo he's at college, like I was? She remembers that, right?"

"Look." Owen started, yawning again. "I'm just telling you. She says Gray needs a welcome home kinda party and he needs a piñata for it."

Zach rolled his eyes and sighed. Clearly, he wasn't getting anymore sleep until this matter was resolved. He pushed away from Owen, more roughly than needed, and flopped over on the other side of the bed. He reached across the nightstand and grabbed Owen's phone. He fumbled for a moment, grabbing his own by mistake first. But once he had the right phone, he turned, reached back, and dropped it on Owen's chest. "Order a damn piñata before you forget and break her heart." He said in his serious I'm-the-mom-and-don't-fuck-with-my-kids tone. "I'm going back to sleep." He closed his eyes and sighed. So much for a normal day off. Now they had to plan a party for next weekend.

But Zach didn't need to worry. When he woke up for real later, Owen announced that the party was set. Everything was planned and ordered, with rushed shipping, and would be there in a few days. Including a piñata. Owen had even texted and then called Gray, and let him know. Gray had laughed, been excited, and said he couldn't wait! Because Echo always got what she wanted.

Zach went back to work the following day, like nothing out of the ordinary. Because there wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Just a normal day. So was the next day. And the next. A few things for the party started to arrive. Owen had taken the job rather seriously and went all out on decorations and junk. Zach was actually rather impressed.

Owen shrugged. "I was half asleep." He admitted over lunch. "I really don't remember what I ordered."

Zach stared at him blankly for a moment before he took a sip of his Coke. He set the cup down and glanced at the fence. Echo was there, watching and listening. She was pretending like she wasn't. Her head was in a bush, like she was looking for something. But Zach knew her antics well enough. The other raptors were either eating or napping before the next show. And Echo was there, trying to eavesdrop. She always was when Zach showed up for lunch break. "Tell me you actually ordered a pinata for Echo."

Owen nodded quickly. "I did... I think." He said. "I'm pretty sure I did."

Echo's head popped up from the bush and she looked at them. She nodded her head and whistled excitedly.

Zach's eyes narrowed. "I knew you were listening! Echo, go eat!"

Echo breathed out loudly and shook her head.

"Now, Echo!" Zach said loudly. "Or no Nemo!"

Echo's eyes widened for a moment. Then she turned and darted off.

Owen laughed as he chewed his fries. He swallowed and shook his head. "You think one day, that'll stop working?"

Zach shrugged as he leaned back in his seat. He honestly had no clue. He crossed his arms and looked back at Owen. "I hope not. It's a pretty useful threat."

Owen smiled and reached into his fries again. But his phone rang and he dropped the fries. He quickly wiped his hand on his shorts and reached for his phone. He grimaced as he looked at the display. "Claire."

Zach rolled his eyes as he leaned forward on his elbow. "How did she know? Seriously! We're just eating lunch! There's cameras! What does she think we're doing? Fucking at the paddock between shows?"

Owen let out a laugh as he hit the answer button and put it on speaker phone. "Good afterno..."

"Mr. Grady!" She interrupted him loudly. "I don't know what you're planning and I don't want to know. Just get down here and fix it!"

Owen frowned for a moment. "Fix what?"

"Whatever the hell I'm looking at!" She snapped.

Zach rolled his eyes. He had no clue what she was blathering on about. But he was certain whatever it was, she was way over exaggerating. "Where are you?"

"The docks." She answered. "I want both of you here now. NOW!" She hung up.

Owen reached for his phone and tilted his head. "Wonder what that's all about." Zach shrugged as he pushed away from the table and stood up. He crumbled his trash and reached for Owen's. "Hey!" Owen whined as Zach cleared away his fries. "I was still eating those!"

"Too bad." Zach said without concern. "You heard her. We can't keep her waiting."

Owen leaned back and narrowed his eyes. "Oh yeah? She can't make me."

Zach crossed his arms and sent a glare Owen's way.

Owen jumped up quickly. "But you can! Let's go!"

They ignored Echo's curious whistle as they filed into a commandeered park jeep. Owen sped along the employee roads until they reached the docks. He pulled the jeep to a stop and leaned back. But before he could let out the whine on his lips, Zach was out of the jeep and walking up to Claire.

She swiveled around, spinning on her heels towards him. "Who orders live animals on the internet?" She snapped.

"What?" Zach frowned and tilted his head. "Live animals?" He repeated and glanced back at Owen. "What did you do?"

Owen shrugged as he hurried to catch up. "Don't look at me! I didn't do anything!"

Claire continued to glare. "It wiggled out of its cage, bit a couple people, and made a mess!"

Owen and Zach exchanged a look before Owen stepped closer. "What did?" He asked slowly.

"Do we even wanna know?" Zach added with a sigh.

All three turned as they was a rather dramatic scream, followed by a weird sound. It was a mix of a rumbling hum and a bleating. It sounded like something Echo might make during one of her whining tantrums when Nemo gets taken away. And then suddenly, there was a ball of white fur running down the gangplank. The thing made another weird noise and seemed to trip or something, because it was suddenly almost rolling towards them.

Claire darted back, out of the way and waved her hands. "Catch it! Catch it!" She hollered.

Owen stared for a moment. "What is it?" He asked.

"I think..." Zach stepped closer. It had come to a stop and attempted to stand up. Zach moved slowly. He held out his hands and bent down, never taking his eyes off the fluff ball. He heard the odd humming noise it was making and he tried to mimic it. He really knew nothing about these animals. But it looked small. It was probably just scared. "Shhh." Zach bent down and reached out. The thing's long ears shot straight up and it lifted its head. A nose poked out of the fluff and its nostrils flared. "It's a llama." Zach said softly as he held his hand out. He touched its fluffy head and it didn't run. Zach moved quickly and scooped it up. It wasn't very big or heavy, maybe the size of a medium dog. He straightened back up and turned.

Owen's eyes widened as he stepped forward, his hands out. "It's a baby llama." He said, reaching out to touch the fluffy head. "Look at those cute ears!" The baby llama let out a snort and blew out. The fluff above its eyes puffed up a moment. Owen let out a soft laugh. "Hair's too long, huh?"

"Yes... well..." Claire said, brushing herself off like she hadn't freaked out a moment ago. "You ordered it for whatever reason. You take care of it." She spun around and stalked off.

Zach watched her for a moment before looking at Owen. "Did you seriously order a llama off the internet?"

Owen straightened up and scratched at the back of his neck. "Maybe. I was trying to order a llama shaped piñata."

Zach's mouth fell open. "How do you accidently mistake a piñata for a real llama?!"

Owen shrugged. "I was tired!"

"You were tired!" Zach said, his voice raising a bit. And then the llama in his arms shifted and let out a squeal. Zach quickly tightened his grip and hummed low in his throat. "Shh, shh."

"Come on, let's take it back to the paddock." Owen said, turning.

Zach frowned as he followed after Owen. "Seriously. We're done talking about this and we're taking it to the raptor paddock? Echo is going to flip out."

"Exactly." Owen said as they walked back towards the jeep with the llama in tow. "I'm going to have to explain that there will be no piñata and I need proof."

"Proof." Zach mused as Owen opened the passenger seat door for him. "Yeah, sure. You are ridiculous." He hefted the baby llama into the jeep. It was rather docile and settled down in his lap rather quickly.

Owen smiled and pulled out his phone. "Says the guy with a fluffy llama in his lap." He snapped a picture before shutting the door.

"Says the guy who ordered the baby llama off the internet." Zach stated dryly as Owen got into the driver's seat. The jeep was started and they headed towards the paddock. Zach pulled out his phone and searched about llamas. "Grass, tree foliage, shrubs, grains and hay like horses. Fruits and veggies as treats, like broccoli, apples, carrots, and sweet potatoes."

Owen nodded. "Okay. Is it old enough for that stuff? It's kinda small."

Zach shrugged slightly as he continued to scroll through the sites. "Weaned around 7-9 months."

"Might be that old." Owen said, glancing over. "I can't imagine they'd sell a nursing baby."

Zach rolled his eyes and put his phone away. "Oh well. Selling a nursing baby llama is almost as bad as accidently buying said llama off the internet."

"Am I ever gonna live this down?"

"Nope."

The rest of the ride was pretty quiet. Zach poked and prodded the baby llama a bit, looking at its ears and toes and tail. He discovered she was a girl and she was rather well behaved, until she'd had enough and snapped at him. Zach smiled as she curled up and fell asleep minutes before they arrived at the paddock.

"You're just gonna have to stay in the jeep." Owen said after snapping a dozen more pictures. "She's just the cutest little thing! I'm gonna call her Nara!"

"Nara." Zach repeated as he out of the jeep.

The newly dubbed Nara let out a protesting whine and flailed a bit. A bit too much and she managed to wriggle free. She sprang out of Zach's grasp and bounced across the parking lot.

"Nara!" Owen called the name and raced off after her.

"You just named her!" Zach pointed out as he followed. "She doesn't know it's a name yet!"

Echo heard the commotion as the ground approached the paddock. She raced over to the fence and peered out. She caught site of the fluffy thing and let out a squeal. Nara the baby llama stopped and turned. She stared for a moment before bouncing over to the fence. She squeezed in between the bars just as Owen and Zach reached it. Then tried to reach for her, to stop her. But she was out of reach.

"Echo!" Owen snapped her name. "Echo, easy!" He held up his hands.

"Echo, don't touch her!" Zach warned, pressing closer to the fence. "Or no Nemo!"

Echo stared down at the fluffy thing. She tilted her head, confused. She had no idea what it was. She bent down and sniffed. And the thing sniffed back at her and touched her nose.

"She's a baby llama!" Owen tried to explain. "Baby! Don't eat the baby!" And then suddenly, the other raptors were stepping out of the brush, looking at the new ball of fluff with interest. "Damnit! No!" Owen called out. "Don't eat her! Blue! No!" He turned and dashed into the building.

Zach watched his mate vanish for a moment before turning back to watch the raptors. He smiled as he watched Echo with the tiny llama. Nara had tucked her legs under her and laid down at Echo's feet. In turn, Echo had laid down, too. She reached over and touched her nose to Nara's back. Nara's ears flicked back and forth, listening but didn't seem alarmed in the least.

And then Owen burst through the gate. He raced across and threw his hands up. He waved them at Blue, Delta, and Charlie. "Don't eat her!" He said loudly. Blue stared at him, Charlie stepped around him to investigate, and Delta turned away, looking bored.

"Owen, she's fine." Zach called out. "Look."

Owen turned and saw tiny Nara snuggled up against Echo's side. He pulled out his phone and took several more pictures.

Zach sighed out and shook his head. "So... we just have a llama now?"

**-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-**

**Author's Notes:** I made it, damnit! My clock says it's 11:16 pm! That means I made it! It's still your birthday! And I told Jelly Bean I was gonna write you random story so here you go!


End file.
